Ancient Calligraphy

Exploring different cultures with my students is very important. During our unit on ancient China, we learned about the Chinese writing system and the invention of paper. Going into this activity with background information about the topic made it even more enjoyable for the kids. 

We watched a short video about the history and current state of calligraphy in China and learned how to properly hold a calligraphy brush (which most tried for a bit before declaring it was way too hard to hold the brush like that 😂). 

Students used reusable practice mats that just require a brush and water. (These mats are the same as the ones I used when I studied abroad in China!) When the mat gets wet, it looks like ink. As it dries, the "ink" fades and the mat can be reused. I'm happy to report we only had minimal water spills!